Cold and Empty
by Necros of Shadow
Summary: When Korra hits her lowest point, she is open to change. But how low was that point?


I do not own The Legend of Korra, Avatar the Last Airbender, or anything else relating these masterpieces.

Cold, Korra had forgotten how cold the South Pole was. The endless fields of white snow lay mute under the cloudy sky.

Cold, cloudy, empty. Like Korra.

The young bender had taken off on Naga blindly, not even caring where she went. It did not matter. None of it did. No matter where she went, the land itself would have mocked her like it did now.

Cold, and no fire to warm her. Snow, and no way to move the water. Flat and empty earth, and unable to shift it. A bender that could barely bend, an Avatar that could never truly bend again.

That was how Korra felt anyway. All she could do was ride. She, who could have once bent all the four elements as her right, was left powerless, empty, and alone. Her friends, her parents, her teacher Katara, had all tried to console her. They did not understand what she had lost.

"_Bending is the greatest thing ever!"_

Korra's own words, on that first day in Republic City, echoed back at her. Back when water, earth, and fire could be used. Before she met him.

"_I told you I would destroy you."_

Amon. He had done it. The smoking boat the army had found, the Bloodbender's death, meant nothing. He had taken it all from her.

Naga stopped, and Korra snapped out of her thoughts to look around. The polarbear-dog had brought her to the seaside cliffs. Old Naga, right to where they would go together after training. Korra climbed off and made her way to the edge. The vast ocean spread out below her, as gloomy and cold as the snow. Korra's eyes, equally dark and gloomy, gazed down at the water.

"_Do it. Come on Korra. This world needs an Avatar, and you're not it anymore. Just an airbender."_

She could do it. One step and it would end. She couldn't waterbend, barely knew airbending. They would find her, later, floating in the ocean. Her parents would weep, Tenzin would be devastated, but the cycle could continue. It was like the only thing she could do to truly stop Amon's plan was to end it here, allow a new Avatar to learn the elements. Has he planned it this way? His final stab at benders?

Korra was just to empty to care. Her destiny, her duty, what she had trained her entire life for, gone. Everything that made her strong, special, snuffed out by Amon.

She could do it. Everyone would be sad and upset, but they would move on. Her parents would return to their homes. Tenzin would train the earthbender that would come next. Mako would….

"_I love you."_

That one line, and Korra couldn't do it. She couldn't leave him. Or Bolin. Or Asami. What would Lin think? Had she taken her life after losing her earthbending? They had all been there for her, given up for her. The emptiness surged with anger and sadness, and she wept. One tear, falling down to the ocean in her place, and soon they all flowed down her cheeks. Her legs gave out, and Korra was the scared teenager that cried in Tenzin's arms in fright of a masked madman.

Korra cried. Oblivious to the world around her, until the sound of footsteps on snow drew her back to reality. Out of the corner of her eye, she could just make out the clothes of an Air Nomad. Some of her old pride came back, couldn't let anyone see her like this. Couldn't let them think what she had been thinking. Sighing, Korra wiped her tears.

"Not now Tenzin, I just want to be alone."

"But you called me here."

She froze. The voice was soothing, calm, understanding, and though she had only heard it once, as familiar as her own. Korra turned her head, hardly believing it.

His face was as familiar as his voice, in a way, it was hers.

"Aang?"

The airbender that had saved them all years before smiled down at her, "You have finally connected to your spiritual self."

Korra stood up, still not convinced she was seeing this, "But…how?"

His smile widened, so much like her own, "When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change."

As if in knowing, the cloudy sky parted, and the sun shone down on Korra, illuminating her past. One by one they appeared and they all watched her, as if to say, 'You are not alone.'

Aang placed his hands on her, pressing her heart and temple. Korra knew, and closed her eyes as the snow shone with the light from Aang's bending. Though she did not open her eyes, she saw them go, their visible forms at least. For Korra, she could at last feel them, all her past lives with her. And when she opened her eyes, all that power filled her.

A cone of air formed around her, raising her up above. Her hands flew out, and a circle of air blew out. Again she moved, and fire raged around her. Once again, and the earth broke through the snow at her, their combined will. Each felt perfect, right, and Korra had never felt a greater happiness as the elements bent again. Korra saw the ocean quiver, and her hand shot up as a wave of water broke against the cliff raining droplets down on her. At least Korra descended, and felt the power of the Avatar State fade.

She became aware of someone behind her. Mako stood there, the look of awe on his face almost comical to her. She could only picture his and Bolin's face when she showed them Aang's final gift. At least, she could bury Amon forever.

Smiling, Avatar Korra ran into Mako's arms.


End file.
